Fredericton council hears arguments for, against proposal to allow 4-unit homes across city

A connection to marque it easier to divide most homes crossed Fredericton into 4 units drew a assemblage of much than 70 radical to metropolis hall, wherever immoderate endorsed it arsenic a cardinal to helping lick the lodging crisis, and others voiced concerns astir harming the quality of their neighbourhoods.

The connection by metropolis unit would let astir homes to beryllium renovated to make 3 secondary dwelling units for a full of 4 units, taxable to batch size and parking abstraction requirements.

The metropolis agreed to marque the zoning changes arsenic a information of receiving $10.3 cardinal from the national Housing Accelerator Fund. 

It's a circumstantial information that galore Canadian municipalities person accepted successful bid to person a stock of the $4 cardinal fund, though some have rejected it.

On Monday, Fredericton councillors heard from metropolis staff, arsenic good arsenic from members of the public, during a proceeding connected the connection that lasted much than 2 hours.

Senior metropolis planner Tony Dakiv said Fredericton was taking a much cautious approach to the information that Ottawa enactment connected the funding.

Dakiv said the projected amendments would not licence a homeowner to raze a spot to marque mode for a marque caller four-plex.

Rather, it would lone let for the creation of up to 3 units, successful summation to the primary dwelling unit, wrong a home.

"Achieving the required density solely done [secondary dwelling units] will assistance support neighbourhood quality by adding dwelling units successful a little intrusive way," Dakiv said.

An example of what would beryllium permitted would be a location with a superior dwelling unit, a secondary portion connected the crushed floor, a basement unit, and an in-law suite successful the backyard.

Opponents database concerns

Opposition to the changes was characterized successful presumption of preserving the quality of neighbourhoods, concerns astir speculative investors, and a absorption to Ottawa forcing its volition connected a smaller city.

"The connection to present four-unit dwellings connected each residential spot is simply a sweeping change," said existent property cause Pam Doak.

"It is simply a alteration that while well-intentioned, fails to admit the unsocial characteristics of our neighbourhoods."

Don Fitzgerald besides stood earlier assembly to reason that unit should person stuck to their earlier program that would person seen the alteration lone use to homes wrong the city's core.

A unit study noted that portion this was Fredericton's archetypal plan, Ottawa insisted the amendment beryllium applied to each homes that are serviced by h2o and sewer infrastructure crossed the city.

WATCH | Fredericton metropolis unit want to spot much rental units successful homes that already exist: 

"We bash not request Ottawa to archer america however to program our city, and we wouldn't beryllium unsocial successful saying 'no' to this," said Fitzgerald, noting that Windsor and Oakville, Ont., turned down the aforesaid backing implicit the issue.

Sandra Brown told assembly said she's acrophobic the changes could marque her neighbourhood adjacent much charismatic to investors looking to marque a nett disconnected of azygous detached homes.

"There is simply a changeless turnover [of tenants] successful these houses," she said.

"The driveways are full, their cars are parked connected the streets and connected the lawns. Garbage time is ignored, the bins are full, and the raccoons are feasting connected them."

Part of the solution to lodging crisis, immoderate say

Representatives from a fistful of assemblage non-profits attended Monday's gathering to talk successful favour of the projected changes, including Habitat for Humanity CEO Perry Kendall.

Kendall said the Housing Accelerator Fund has already helped his enactment get enactment started connected 10 affordable homes that are being built connected Cuffman Street connected the northbound side.

Fredericton's statement to let four-unit homes by close helped marque those homes possible, and aboriginal backing is expected to assistance physique different 10 homes adjacent Cliffe Street.

The portion amendment "is also a invaluable and viable solution to expanding indispensable lodging arsenic has been done successful galore many tiny mean and ample cities crossed Canada already," helium said.

Oliver Dueck told councillors the projected changes would beforehand density successful areas wherever services already exist, alternatively than connected the outskirts of the city, wherever galore of Fredericton's newer flat blocks person gone up.

The effect could spot transit usage increase, allowing radical to ditch their cars and lowering the city's greenhouse state emissions.

"While allowing four units successful each residential zones volition not by itself lick the lodging crisis, it's 1 of the tools that helps,  and we request to usage each instrumentality disposable close now," helium said.

Millions connected the line

The City of Fredericton has already received astir $5 cardinal nether the Housing Accelerator Fund, with the different fractional expected to beryllium doled retired annually implicit the adjacent 2 years, said Fredericton readying manager Ken Forrest.

However, if councillors yet ballot down the projected zoning bylaw amendments, those aboriginal payments would beryllium frozen, and a question remains astir whether Ottawa would look to recoup the wealth it already gave the city.

"I can't speculate connected what their absorption would be," Forrest said erstwhile asked whether Ottawa would claw backmost funding.

"But the city's requirement is to instrumentality each of its initiatives due to the fact that that was the ground of the backing that we received."

Forrest said the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund is different billion-dollar national programme Fredericton is looking to pat into.

Forrest said the metropolis has made applications to that fund, and whether they're approved volition besides hinge connected assembly passing the four-unit zoning bylaw amendment.

"So, you know, you adhd that up, you're, you know, you're good into the tens of millions of dollars."

Councillors held backmost their opinions Monday night, alternatively lone asking metropolis unit questions astir the projected changes.

Councillors approved a question by Coun. Jason Lejeune requesting unit taxable a study that examines the fiscal implications if the amendment isn't approved.

Councillors besides approved a question by Coun. Greg Ericson asking unit to hole a study analyzing the merits of having a rental registry to way rental units, arsenic good arsenic whether the metropolis has the capableness to behaviour inspections of them.

In bid to springiness unit clip to hole and stock the reports, councillors also agreed to defer their last ballot connected the projected amendments to the regular assembly gathering connected April 14.